Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

अशोकवर्तिसहितैर्घृतपूरैर्मनोहरैः । एवं चैत्रतृतीयायां व्यतीतायां पुलोमजे

Transliteration

aśokavartisahitairghṛtapūrairmanoharaiḥ | evaṃ caitratṛtīyāyāṃ vyatītāyāṃ pulomaje

Translation

普罗摩之女啊，如是——当恰特罗月（Caitra）第三日（tṛtīyā）已过之时，应欢喜奉献可爱之酥油饼（ghṛtapūra），内充酥油，并与阿输迦之灯芯/细丝同制，以成其誓行。

Word by Word

• अशोकवर्तिसहितैः: with aśoka-wicks
• अशोकवर्तिसहितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशोकवर्ति + सहित (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण/सह), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (with aśokavarti-wicks)

• घृतपूरैः: with ghee-filled cakes/sweets
• घृतपूरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृतपूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• मनोहरैः: charming, delightful
• मनोहरैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: thus)

• चैत्रतृतीयायाम्: on the third day (tithi) of Caitra
• चैत्रतृतीयायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र + तृतीया (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; कालाधिकरणम् (on the third (tithi) of Caitra)

• व्यतीतायाम्: when (it) had passed
• व्यतीतायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अति + इ (धातु) → व्यतीत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भावे (having passed)

• पुलोमजे: O Pulomajā (daughter of Pulomā)
• पुलोमजे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलोमजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (सम्बोधन), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pulomajā (addressed as ‘daughter of Pulomā’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī household/ghāṭa-side shrine scene: a woman devotee prepares golden ghṛtapūra sweets, with aśoka filaments/wicks arranged beside lamps; offerings are carried toward a small altar with incense and flowers, the Ganga suggested in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Pulomā (as metronymic reference)
• Caitra (month)
• Tṛtīyā (lunar day)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vowed observances become fruitful when completed with devotion and proper offerings (naivedya) on the prescribed tithi.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting implies Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as the sacred backdrop for the vrata-vidhi.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering charming ghṛtapūra (ghee-filled sweets/cakes), associated with aśoka-varti, upon completion of Caitra tṛtīyā.